We blitzed nuts and herbs in mini choppers, whisked eggs with a whisk attachment and mashed up potatoes if it came with a mashing attachment. The worst hand blenders left us with chopped nuts and herbs of a variety of sizes, lumpy mash and us wondering if the egg whites would ever reach stiff peaks. Ease of use

We blended mayonnaise for three minutes, noted how easy to was to keep holding the blender and how much the handle warmed up.We assumed that all these extra attachments would give similar results, but we found big differences in quality. Members can see what these differences were. Log in or join Which? now for instant access. The best hand blenders produced silky-smooth foods with a consistent texture. The worst left lots of chunks behind and our hands tingly after use from the large vibrations. Endurance We selected the best-selling hand blenders from the most popular brands available at key retailers. In testing, the blender, as well as most of the attachments worked like a dream. We were able to julienne and finely slice vegetables in seconds, and the powerful blender produced creamy dips, sauces and soups, even when using tough ingredients. The only real downside was the French fry blade, which didn’t produce the result expected, even when carefully following instructions.

Splash guard Usually sold separately, these fit over a bowl, with a hole for the hand blender to pass through. It helps prevent splashes from going on to your work surface. Whisk An attachment to incorporate air into a mixture. Good for whipping up egg whites, cream cake mixes and batters. The best are comfortable to hold, even with reduced hand strength, the worst vibrated a lot and were uncomfortable to keep hold of after a minute or so. WashabilityWe were impressed at how lightweight this blender was, especially considering how cumbersome some cordless kitchen gadgets can be. It also comes with a mini processor, jug and whisk attachment included in the box, making the price tag a little more palatable. It’s expensive, but you are paying for cordless convenience.